The Portland daily press., 1887-01-21
GEORGES sHoAL.
The Loss of the Privateer Dash.

TO the Editor OF the Press:
In the article in the PRESS of Monday on
Georges Shoal, one of the writer's quoted
evidently substituted the Dart, hpstily
built three mastsd schooner of forty tons,
for the Dash, a well built brig of two hun
dred and twenty-five tons. Both were pri-
vateers belonging to Portland, and the final
fate OF both was uncertain.
The mention in your article of the lost
captain being brother to the owner and
his proposition to mark Georges Shoal with
beacon or lighthouse fixes the identity and
name of the vessel intended to have been
the Dash. The captain, first and second
lleutenants were brothers to the owner.
which caused him to feel keenly the loss.
Au account OF the career Of the Dash, and
captain Porter's theory for marking the
ical work. Portland in the Past" an ex-
tract from which in the PRESS on the Cap
taln's theory might be Of interest to nautical
men,. The first year qS34 Of my married
lie spent as boarder in the family of
captain Porter, which gave me an opportu-
MY 70 become 1aTlllar with his ideas of
marking the shoal. VIC.
THE account of the loss of the Dash re-
ferred to above is as follows:
We now come to the final cruise. of which
there is no Journal, no record Of her fate. no
survivor to tell the sad story. Alasi she
sailed to destruction with all her laurels
thick upon her. Soon after her arrival on
tne fourth q January, 1t was known that
the Dash was being put in order for another
cruise under the command of John Porter
lie mad won good name, although he was
but "a years old. He was of a family of
eleven brothers, all sailors az some time of
b ie ives wsre T 70 q them younger than
tenants In the. vessel. The Dash had become
fayorite privateer, and all the Young men
OF spirit were anxious for position on board
OF her, even some who Lad once sailed in
command. Inc Porter Brothers chose their
OVID ships company, most of whom were
from the best families of Portland and the
seaboard towns. No vessel had ever sailed
from the port which had the prayers Of sueh
q multitude for her safety. Everything be-
ing ing, ready e,y the Dash, with cloud Of canvas
ana Dunting. got up her anchor, fred a gun
Tor the captain and stood up and down the
harbor like a.race-horse in check. The Will sie
the captain was with his young wife. to
whom he had been married only a few
lived on what is now the Federal street
side Of the Park. After the lady
had arrived at the age of more than
elghty years., she described to the writ
sr with much feeling the. leave taking.
Inc captain seemed depressed, as if he had
some sad foreboding. He left his wife on
the steps, and hearing the gun he hurried
away, and was about to turn the corner of
Essex NOW Franklin) street, when he hesi-
tated and turned round but hearing a sec
peared
The. prlvateer schooner Champlain had
Deen puilt and fitted out here by Portsmouth
parties, and BY arrangement was ready to
san SAL WIN tne Dash TO test her speed Each
with press OF sail passed the lighthouse in
company, and not till then did the crowd
leave the hill For what more is known of
the Dash we are indebted to the officers of
the Champlain. For more than twenty-four
nouIs tle Dash ied the way, and at dark the
second day she was q long distance ahead.
steering nearly south, but the Champlain
kept her light in sight. Soon a gale sprunp
up and the captain sounded and found the
water sin9,a.ling. and fearing Georges Bank he
light of the Dash bore by the same COMPASS us
IL was the opinion of nautical men that after
the gale sprang up, Captain Porter underrat
ed his speed and went on to Georges Bank.
what that shoal is in January gale, we
learn from newspaper announcement. that
two weeks ago, fleet of Gloucester fishing ing
vessels were, by the sudden rising of the
vino, compelled to slip their cables and make
sail, losing all their anchors. '''''N0
Ihe loss OF his three brothers and SO MANY
other valuable lives in the Dash was a con-
tlnual trouble to Captain Seward Porter in
after life. He insisted that he should live IN
see lighthouse on the Bank, and represent f.
ed its feasibility to a Congressional commit
tee, His theory was to sink large number
OF stone-laden hulks at one time, in a circle
on the shall0west part of the bank. which he
thor5nt would form a sufficient breakwater
to admit the driving of long piles, perhaps
some of iron, within the enclosure and still
continue to add to the number of old ships
with stone. and whole trees with limbs,
These he thought would form a nucleus for
an island of land, which would finally rise
out of the. water, and ON which lighthouse
of iron might be erected.